If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the Forum Rules by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

I used Windows as it has Group Policy. I could almost setup everything in the GP and never visit a client. Linux still doesn't have anything like GP and that is IMO what is holding Linux back.

In regard to having "remote control" over all the computers, the main thing I'd like to be able to do is be able to write to the computers' hard disks. For instance, in a room full of 30 computers, I'd like to be able to get a CD with some sort of program on it, then go to one of the computers and install the program. After that, I'd like to be able to run a program that would take an "image" of that computer and copy it to all the other computers. I know this might sound a bit extreme if you're only installing a program that's a few kilobytes, but then maybe the imaging software could propagate only the changes. Is there software out there already for doing this in Linux? I wonder how far I'd get using plain old Samba shares?

Also we had several applications that only ran under windows.

Well Linux has Firefox for surfing the web, OpenOffice for doing up documents, and you have something like Konqueror for copying files from one drive to another. I think there's a Linux alternative for most kinds of program nowadays, and if worst comes to worst you can always use wine.

I did look into using LTSP (Linux Terminal Server Project) but it didn't support local devices (i.e. plugging in a usb thumb drive to save your work). I understand that LTSP now has that support.

I'm not sure if LTSP would be what I'm looking for. If I understand it correctly, you'd have one server computer that's basically running 30 computers at once... I mean fair enough if you have a super computer that you pulled out of NASA's skip, but would it not be very slow and very hard on memory? I mean you could have OpenOffice open 30 times at once? (That's assuming of course that I understand correctly)

You biggest hurdles to deploying Linux at the desktop will be the applications and faculty. Can you guarantee that you will never need to deploy a windows based app? The faculty I had to support knew their specific areas of IT and little else. Which is not a problem as what they knew was very deep stuff. They just didn't want to invest time in learning something new. Also you are bound to get alot of questions about training the students on the new OS. Yes you will have to train them as you can't let them figure it out on there own.

If all they're doing is surfing the web and typing up documents, I don't think there's much I need to show them.

Ask questions on the open forums, that way everybody benefits from the solution, and everybody can be corrected when they make mistakes. Don't send me private messages asking questions that should be asked on the open forums, I won't respond. I decline all "Friend Requests".

I'm not sure if LTSP would be what I'm looking for. If I understand it correctly, you'd have one server computer that's basically running 30 computers at once... I mean fair enough if you have a super computer that you pulled out of NASA's skip, but would it not be very slow and very hard on memory? I mean you could have OpenOffice open 30 times at once? (That's assuming of course that I understand correctly)

We ran it off an older Dell server. We used it in one of our libraries, ran about 20 machines at the same time. Skyped one of the guys still administering the computers. 3.06ghz intel xeon, 4gb of ram and 150gb hard drive.

Of course, if you really wanted to have some fun, go to Wal-Mart late at night and ask the greeter if they could help you find trashbags, roll of carpet, rope, quicklime, clorox and a shovel. See if they give you any strange looks. --Streaker69

We ran it off an older Dell server. We used it in one of our libraries, ran about 20 machines at the same time.

Was it not slow? Did you not run out of RAM? Really I'm puzzled how this is possible

Does it work sort of like Remote Desktop? i.e. the "thin clients" just send mouse clicks to the server, and the server sends back the screen changes.

Ask questions on the open forums, that way everybody benefits from the solution, and everybody can be corrected when they make mistakes. Don't send me private messages asking questions that should be asked on the open forums, I won't respond. I decline all "Friend Requests".

Was it not slow? Did you not run out of RAM? Really I'm puzzled how this is possible

Does it work sort of like Remote Desktop? i.e. the "thin clients" just send mouse clicks to the server, and the server sends back the screen changes.

That is how it works.

As to your point about software. I had Oracle Developer Suite and Microfocus Cobol, Course Technoblogies SAM, and a few others. No linux versions of them.

As to your point about installing software and imaging. Ghost is what I used. However back them it didn't support LVM so I couldn't use it on a Fedora PC unless LVM was not selected during install (LVM is the default). Installing software is part of the beauty of GP. If the software is a msi you can use GP to install it. If it uses a setup.exe you can a zap file and still use GP. No need to ever visit a PC to install software.

Keep in mind there are incompatibilities between MS Office and OpenOffice. I did look into OpenOffice to MS Office, but some old Excel spreadsheets wouldn't work right in OO.

Of course, if you really wanted to have some fun, go to Wal-Mart late at night and ask the greeter if they could help you find trashbags, roll of carpet, rope, quicklime, clorox and a shovel. See if they give you any strange looks. --Streaker69

I don't really think that's a solution for you, it's Wind* only , but i like it.

Be sensitive in choosing where you ask your question. You are likely to be ignored, or written off as a loser, if you:

* post your question to a forum where it's off topic
* post a very elementary question to a forum where advanced technical questions are expected, or vice-versa
* cross-post to too many different newsgroups
* post a personal e-mail to somebody who is neither an acquaintance of yours nor personally responsible for solving your problem

That's pretty awesome. At the moment I'm kind of in a fight with my TST/network manager at my school. I'm constantly trying to bypass his security settings, gain administrator priveledges, ect. Anyways, on subject, if you decide to use Windows XP I suggest you make sure you cover every loophole, whether it be via command prompt or full scale virus's. My school has the most protected network in our county..any other school I could bypass easily..that's why I take this as a challenge.

Anyways, I don't know much about Linux..well..actually I know nothing about Linux. But you probably do..so which has more loopholes and ability to gain unpermitted priveledge? I'd say to go with the safer choice, to avoid people like me. Or just make sure you make whichever you pick secure to avoid people like me ^^.

That's pretty awesome. At the moment I'm kind of in a fight with my TST/network manager at my school. I'm constantly trying to bypass his security settings, gain administrator priveledges, ect. Anyways, on subject, if you decide to use Windows XP I suggest you make sure you cover every loophole, whether it be via command prompt or full scale virus's. My school has the most protected network in our county..any other school I could bypass easily..that's why I take this as a challenge.

Anyways, I don't know much about Linux..well..actually I know nothing about Linux. But you probably do..so which has more loopholes and ability to gain unpermitted priveledge? I'd say to go with the safer choice, to avoid people like me. Or just make sure you make whichever you pick secure to avoid people like me ^^.

Hope I helped some-what.

-Noez`

Comments like that in this forum will earn you a seat in the corner :s

Comments like that in this forum will earn you a seat in the corner :s

If you worked in my school district it would also earn you a one way trip to the door and we'd mail your personal belongings to you.

Of course, if you really wanted to have some fun, go to Wal-Mart late at night and ask the greeter if they could help you find trashbags, roll of carpet, rope, quicklime, clorox and a shovel. See if they give you any strange looks. --Streaker69